Coffin



(No Model.)

A. R. vREESE.

2 Sheets-Sheet l',

GOFFIN.

Patented Aug. 2, A1887,

(No Model.) 2. Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. R. BESSE.

GOFFIN.

Patented Aug. 2

Ufa?

UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADAM n. RnE'sE, OFPHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY.

COFFIN.

SPECIFICATION forming pari'. 0f Ltter Patent'. NO. 367,728, dated Algust 2 188'7.

l Application tiled'April 29, 1886. Serial No. 200,496. (No model.)

tion, and which shall be composed of such substances asto 'render it practically non-destructible by the action of moisture, thus qualifying it to remain intact and iii-good' condition for au indefinite.periodhfter beingplaccd in'the ground; furthermore, the object is to produce a eoin having these characteristics which shallbc quite light, thus facilitating its hand'- ling. i i

With these objcctsgin viev.1 the inventionv consists, essentially, i'ii'a `coftinwcomposed of an outer shell ofv metal, preferably of copper, bronze, or brass,'and an inner layertor lining` of natural stone.' Y

Furthermore, the invention consists in a coffin 'formed of an outer casing of Kmetal and an inner lining of natural slate.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a coffin formed of an outer casing or shell of metal and an inner lining of split slate.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a cof' fin formed of an outer casing of metal and an inner lining of natural stone, the -twobeing joined and irml y 'held together by a l resinous cement.

Furthermore, the invention consists in varil ons novel details of construction wherebv' the effectiveness of the device insured.

I have illustrated the invention inth'e'acvcornpanying drawings, in whicl1- Figure l is a side elevation Aof acomplete colhn made in accordance with my invention. Fig. -2is a plan view of the cofiin, showing the vcover in" position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vbottom ot' the casket, showing the manner of attaching the stone lining.- xFig. lisa crosssectional view, the section beingtak en through' one ofthe'panels of tlifeeciin'.A 'f Fig'. isan in# verted plan viewof thelid, showing the matr.

g u v be thin. 'objects ofthe` invention are attained andthe `this stone may be split in a manner well known Aner of strengthening it.l Fig. 6 is a perspec-y tive view of a portion of the bodyof4 the coffin, showing the manner of attaching the stone to the outer shell. showing the manner of attaching the lidand of constructing the cofi'ius around the panels. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the receptacle for one of the screws by `which the lid is se` cured in place, and Fig, Q is a sectional view showing the construction of the lid.

, In .the drawings,'A represents the outer shell or easing, which is composed of thin metal, and preferably of metal which is not subject to corrosion, and `1nay therefore be placed in the earth and not be aiected bythe dampness. The metal, which is most suitable for' this purpose is copper, though bronze or.V

=brass may beused. This casing or shell iS made of sections secured together at theirl edges by brazing, soldering, or in any other manner as to present a smooth surface at the vpoint o f juncture. In order that-the coiin mayprescnt an ornamental appearance, the metal plates are pressed between dies so formed as to impart any desired ornamental design to the shell. In the present drawings Iqhavc shown the shell as formed with panels.

'The sides of the eo'l'n are provided with any suitable number of panels, a, to which are attached by suitable hingejoint, an","the side rods, o, designed to be grasped in carrying the coffin. 4 j y B presents alining which is preferably ot natural stone, as that substance is very cheap, light compared with the weight of metal, and is entirely unaffected by moisture. It is de sirable that thecotin be as light as possible, and therefore that .the stone employed should Tt. has beenfound that the kind of stone best'ada'ptcd t'or the purposeis slate, as

presence ot' moisture, l'employ a cement eoin-` i posed of pitch and coal-tar in about the ppb-` f portion of seven parts of pitch to one partoi coal-tar, as I havefound by experiments that this compound is best vadaptetlfor, :the purpose.

Fig.v 7 is a sectional view `suitable ornamental desigmand within this is lower edge of the stone strips e. The upper As an additional means of holding the stone in the body of the coffin in place, I provide the knees b, which are bolted securely in place.4 The bolts which hold the knee to the side of coin are of such length as to pass entirely through the side and secure a socket for the handle to the outside of the coffin.

In order to afford means for attaching the padding and lining to the interior of the cof- Iin, I provide the wooden strips C, which are attached in any suitable manner to the slate, and are so arranged as to furnish ready means for fastening the trimming at all points necessary to retain it in place.

The 'ends of the coiin are preferably made curved/and the slate with which the ends are lined is .'pnt in in strips, and as these strips are ilatlthere is a small space between them and theinside of the shell. This space I fill in witlrtbe cement before described, and thus secu-re the stone lining in place, and at the same time make such a backing for the shell that it will sound/.as though of solid material when struck. It may be stated here that all the indentations in' the shell which form spaces be tween vthe shell and stone are lled with the cement to" prevent the shell from becoming indented. The cement is represented 'by the letter D in the accompanying drawings.

The lid E of the coffin is made u p of metal and stone, and with a lining of cloth secnred in place in any suitable manner. The outer portion is formed of metal stamped with any placed the slabs of stone. The lower edge of the plate forming the outside of the cover rests on themetal strip e, and this strip extendsinward far enough to furnish. a support for the edge of these strips and the plate of stone lining along the top of the lid are held inplace by means of cement and of the strip E, which has two ilanges, one pressing against the side stone pieces and the other against the stonein the top ofthe lid. @ne flange of the strip is provided with the wooden strip e", to which the lining' may be attached.

In order to strengthen the lid and prevent any bending of the metal, Iprovide the braces Eand E. The braces E" are placed vat the ends of the lid, and are attached at one of their 'ends to the metal shell and at the other to the stone. The brace E extends across the lid, and isattached at its ends to the metal strip e and at its center to the stone.

In order to furnish a ready means for rastening the lid to the body of the eoliin, I provide that portion 'of theside at which the screws passing th rough the edge of the lid enter with the blocks G. These blocks restin spaces eut in tliesides ofthe coin, which spaces are sufficiently large .to permit movement to a small degreelin either direction, so that when the point ot` Ithe screw strikes the opening in the block' the *said block will be moved to present a straight-opening for'the screw. The block G is prevented from being withdrawn by means of a pim y, which is attached at its lower end r of the coffin.

ftusufnlly described my invention, y fini, and desire to secure by Letters Patent," nie-f v1. A burial casket comprising a metallic shell and a lining of natural stone.

2. A bnrialfglsket comprising a' metallic shell and a lin-ing ol split slate.

3. A. bn rial LI'casket comprising a shell of metal, a lining of natural stone, and an interposed la'yer of resinous cement for holding the two together.

4. A burial-casket comprising 'a Shen tf Astamped metal and an inner lining of natural stone, the spaces between the two being filled with a resinous cement.

5. A burialcasket comprising a shell of metal and an inner lining of natural stone, and provided withinterior strips of wood, substan tially as described.

6. A burial-casket provided with the mov- `able block having the depending projection 'for retaining it in scribed.

7. In a burial-casket,thesides provided with an opening, the burr situated and' capable of having a slight m'otien therein, and the pin g,

piace, substantially as deend to the side of the-casket.

8. A burial-easket provided with a lid composed of the outer metal plate and a stone lining, and provided with the strengthening-ribs extending transversely and longitudinally of the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. l

ADAM R. REESE.

Witnesses:

R. G. DYRENFORTH, DAVID H. MEAD.

Y9.5 supporting' the burr and attached at the lower IOC 

